Minecraft:Windows 10 Edition

Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition was the former title of Template:El for the Template:W developed by Minecraft:Mojang Studios and Template:W.<ref name="MojangBlog">Announcing: Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta - Mojang.com; July 4, 2015</ref><ref name="Windows10UniversalApps">The next generation of Windows: Windows 10 - Windows (Blogging Windows); January 21, 2015</ref> It runs on devices running Windows 10 or later, as well as the Template:W.<ref name="Minecon2015 BehindTheScenes">Template:Twl (timestamp needed)</ref><ref name="TommasoReddit">https://reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/3c3e5m/announcing_minecraft_windows_10_edition_beta/csry0j5</ref><ref name="TommasoTweet">Template:Tweet</ref> Despite being a Template:W app, it is not available for Windows 10 Mobile or Xbox One and is separate from the cheaper releases of Template:El on these platforms (this means that XBL achievements are not shared between these platforms and buying the game on one of these platforms does not get players the game on the others).

It was announced on July 4, 2015, and a beta version was released on July 29, 2015, for £7.69, US$9.99, or €9.89 on the Microsoft Store. People who have purchased Minecraft:Java Edition before October 19, 2018, got Windows 10 Edition for free.<ref>Template:Tweet</ref> Windows 10 Edition left beta with the 1.0 release on December 19, 2016, and now costs $26.95 on the Microsoft Store.

Development

Before its official announcement on the Minecraft:Mojang blog, various promotional videos of Minecraft running universally on the HoloLens were shown by Microsoft.<ref name="HoloLensPromotion">Microsoft HoloLens - Transform your world with holograms - Microsoft on YouTube; January 21, 2015</ref> An edition of Minecraft running on Windows 10 was later demoed publicly at the Template:W convention, where Minecraft:Lydia Winters on a Template:W and a Microsoft employee on the HoloLens were both playing and interacting with the game.<ref name="HoloLens-E32015">Template:Ytl</ref>

At MINECON 2015, some additional insight was given into the development of Windows 10 Edition. It was explained that due to being a universal app, it was not possible to run Template:El as Microsoft does not support universal apps in Java.<ref name="Minecon2015 BehindTheScenes" />

Gameplay

In addition to features existing in Template:El, the Windows 10 Edition also can play with up to seven players using Xbox Live and also others using Template:El through Minecraft:Realms or local multiplayer with an update that was released shortly after the initial beta version.

Some other additional exclusive features include multiple control schemes, a player feedback feature, and the ability to record and share gameplay with Windows 10's built in Game DVR.<ref name="MojangBlog"/><ref name="TommasoTweet2">Template:Tweet</ref>

Interestingly, the Minecraft:Far Lands do not generate at all on Windows 10 Edition, although they do on the regular Template:El.Template:Citation needed

Other platforms

Microsoft HoloLens

File:MinecraftHoloLens-RealityMode-E32015.png

Minecraft on HoloLens in "reality" mode atop a table with Lydia Winters' world at E3 2015

Minecraft:Jens Bergensten initially tweeted after Microsoft's Windows 10 event on January 21, 2015, that a holographic edition of Minecraft was being developed. It was stated that two Minecraft projects were being made, one being "a toy" and the other being "closer to the game."<ref name="JebHoloLensTweet">Template:Tweet</ref>

A Template:W and a Surface Pro 3 could be seen at Microsoft's segment at the E3 2015 convention, wherein both devices demoed were running the Windows 10 Edition of Minecraft and were seamlessly playing together.<ref name="HoloLens-E32015" />

Two different playable modes were shown, one being a "wall" mode where a player can use an Xbox controller to interact and play with a conventional Minecraft world that was being projected holographically onto a wall. It is possible to resize the projection and also to fix the projection into place, which allows for peering through from the left or right to get a different perspective similar to that of a window without the need for a controller.<ref name="EngadgetMineconDemo">I played 'Minecraft' with Microsoft's HoloLens - Engadget; July 8, 2015</ref> The other was a "reality" mode in which players can project a world in 3D atop of real-world objects, such as a table, without the need for a controller.

In reality mode, players are able to use voice commands and hand gestures, among other features of the headset, to interact with the world. It is possible to target specific areas of the map with voice commands by glancing toward them. For example, looking directly at an object and using a command such as "lightning strike" would summon a lightning bolt relative to that area. Another example is the ability to "markup" an area by looking at an object, which creates a vertical beam of light similar to Minecraft:Beacons. Voice commands can also be used to change the view of the world and allow for following a player with modes such as "close up" or "overview" to change how close the camera is to the player. Hand gestures such as pinching can be used to zoom into a particular area, pan around the world, and also to move the world vertically.

Oculus Rift

Template:Main The Windows 10 Edition can run on the Oculus Rift, via a free download from the Oculus Store.

On September 24, 2015, it was announced that Minecraft would be coming to the Template:W,<ref>Template:Tweet</ref> and would be available in the first half of 2016.<ref>Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition is Coming to Oculus Rift - Xbox Wire; September 24, 2015</ref> Oculus Rift support was launched on August 15, 2016.

Trivia

• A download code for the beta edition was included in a Minecraft-themed Xbox One S bundle.<ref>Template:YouTube link</ref>

Gallery

• Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta logo
  Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta logo
• Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition logo
  Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition logo